Dana White and the Big Three

With EliteXC going the way of the Big 3 auto companies, many MMA fans are wondering where a few of their standout fighters (and they only really had a few) will wind up. According to Five Ounces of Pain, my hero and role model Dana White has a shopping list and is looking to bring a few over to the UFC and/or WEC.

The names on his list: Gina Carano, Jake Shields, and Robby Lawler.

I’ve long professed my love for the oh so sexy Gina Carano. “Conviction” is my favourite nickname this side of the “Irish Hand Grenade,” but more importantly than that she really is a sick fighter. I’m not really familiar with any other female fighters than Tara DeLarosa (who is supposed to be sicker), but as long as I get my Gina she could be fighting Walt Flannigan’s dog in a wig for all I care.
Dana has mentioned wanting Jake Shields for a while now, and Shields himself has said he wants to go to the UFC. It’ll be curious to see what division he fights in. He was WEC’s welterweight champion (I think), but near the end he was thinking of going up to middleweight and/or fighting in both division. If it was me and I was running things, I’d sign him for 185 and debut him as the other coach opposite Michael Bisping in the next “Ultimate Fighter.” He’s got a big enough name to draw some viewers, plus what away to debut to make your first fight against Bisping…and possible your second one against Anderson Silva.

Speaking of middleweights, middleweight champion Robbie Lawler was the third name on the list. This was interesting because he was only 3-3 the last time he was in the UFC, and was mocked accordingly by White when EliteXC first debuted. However he has gone 8-1-1 since then, and it’s not like Dana would have been the first promoter to talk shit. Lawler’s got sick knock-out power and would be a great addition to the middleweight division.